I want to fix my sister's child's bike

[SummitFreedom]

My sister bought her older child a cheap used cycle. I want to learn how to fix my own bike. I plan to buy one soon.

In the meantime, fixing that child bike will allow me to learn.

The pedals/gear/chain/wheels/round thing that the pedals are attached.... I don't know what exactly, don't turn no matter how hard I try to push on the pedals to make the bike go forward. It's seized. I can provide photos if people are willing to help me learn and understand how to diagnose a fault and fix it.

Thank you so much

[Cugel]

My sister bought her older child a cheap used cycle. I want to learn how to fix my own bike. I plan to buy one soon.

In the meantime, fixing that child bike will allow me to learn.

The pedals/gear/chain/wheels/round thing that the pedals are attached.... I don't know what exactly, don't turn no matter how hard I try to push on the pedals to make the bike go forward. It's seized. I can provide photos if people are willing to help me learn and understand how to diagnose a fault and fix it.

Thank you so much

Buy a fix-it book and read it carefully. Buy the tools it recommends for the jobs you need to do on that bike. Play at fixin' until you can fix. Expect to make mistakes, which are valuable lessons as long as you don't gouge off your own hand whilst wielding a sharp tool ineffectually, with gay abandon and inattention.

Perhaps those here so inclined (not I!) could set up a gambling thingy to bet on whether you will ever actually start the fixin'; or buy a bike?


Cugel

PS I can tell you that it helps to swear vehemently at awkward bits of a bike that won't behave properly. It makes them think again about their naughtiness!

[aflook]

Pictures would help.
Turn the bike upside down on a surface that doesn’t matter. See if the wheels can be turned by hand. If not, could be a brake problem. Check the back wheel isn’t jammed against the frame. Check the chain hasn’t come off the rear sprocket and jammed against the frame. Slip the chain off and check it’s not seized up. Without the chain do the cranks turn? If not, it’s likely to be the bottom bracket, which is the axle and bearing assembly on which the cranks spin. If it’s completely seized up you’ll need proper tools for the type of bottom bracket and you might not be able to remove it yourself. If you do attempt to remove it remember the drive side (next to the chain ring) is usually a left hand thread.
Hope that’s enough to get you started.
The most encyclopaedic source of bike info that I know of is Sheldon Brown’s website.
Keep plenty of rags and hand cleaner to hand.
Good luck and enjoy. ( and don’t mind Cugel’s little joke.)
Adrian

[oaklec]

Pictures will definitely help but what would be better is a vlog so we can really determine the cause of the problem.

It might be that it’s not economically viable to fix and it would be better to buy a new bike

[cycle tramp]

We'll have no inattentive gay abandonment here! This is a serious cycling forum for serious cyclists..... (yeah, right)

I reckon the *bottom bracket* has seized solid and/or the *chain* has rusted solid and/or the rear wheel has become loose in the frame and the tyre is now firmly wedged against the *chain stay*

If you don't know what the words between the ** mean copy and paste into Google and it will tell you... you did say you wanted to learn, right?

Best of luck and if you do cut yourself don't bleed on the soft furnishings

[alexnharvey]

I'm all for learning how to fix and maintain bikes. You should know however that with low quality bikes, sometimes referred to as "bike shaped objects", the bill for replacement parts can quickly mount up to be far in excess of the bike's value. Determining this calculation, comparing to better bikes available used can be a critical skill in the bike mechanic's toolbox. Sadly some bikes just need to be written off as junk and scrapped.

[thirdcrank]

If your own diagnosis that it's seized is correct, that could be a sign of terminal neglect which would cost more than a new bike to fix.

Try back pedalling. If the chain won't move at all but retains its "seized" form rather than flexing in the way a bicycle chain might be expected to act, then that sounds like neglect, especially if the chain etc is obviously rusty. However, if eg the wheels have been removed for transportation and then wrongly replaced, even a brand new bike wouldn't move easily, if at all.

[richardfm]

Park Tools website has lots of good articles and videos to help you learn.
Even if it isn't economically sensible to fix it up it will be a good learning experience.

[cycleruk]

Go to your local library as there are probably books on bicycle repair. Look on YouTube as there are hundreds of how-to videos covering every aspect of cycle maintenance.

[re_cycler]

If this is local to you it looks like a great resource of knowledge and tools. You'd also get to see different bikes and discuss topics such as suspension with bike owners.

https://www.thecanterburybikeproject.co.uk/learn/

[Jdsk]

...
The most encyclopaedic source of bike info that I know of is Sheldon Brown’s website.
...

...
Park Tools website has lots of good articles and videos to help you learn.
...

I think that these are the two best resources.

https://sheldonbrown.com
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help

YouTube videos can be very helpful, but if you're new to repairs and what's in the video doesn't match exactly what's in front of you then it's very hard to know what to do. Those websites however break it down into chunks and explain the different general types of components and systems. Once you know which type you have it starts to make sense.

Jonathan

[Paulkentuk]

https://haynes.com/en-gb/bike-book-7th- ... WYQAvD_BwE

... or you could go 'old school' and purchase a Haynes 'book of lies.'

Put it on your Christmas list, it would make a good stocking filler for someone to give you !

Sometimes the articles are amazingly accurate ...

I concure with the sentiment above, it will almost certainly cost l too much to repair, over the bikes value; but you aren't doing it to save money.

[oaklec]

The other thing to consider before even attempting to repair the bike is whether it is the correct size for the rider.

It would be terribly irresponsible to let a child ride a bike with incorrect crank length, seating position, brake lever reach etc. You wouldn't want to stint their appetite for cycling or worse still maim them for life.

So, along with an informative vlog about the woes of the bike it would be useful to know how tall the rider is.

[thirdcrank]

My sister bought her older child a cheap used cycle. I want to learn how to fix my own bike. I plan to buy one soon.

In the meantime, fixing that child bike will allow me to learn.

The pedals/gear/chain/wheels/round thing that the pedals are attached.... I don't know what exactly, don't turn no matter how hard I try to push on the pedals to make the bike go forward. It's seized. I can provide photos if people are willing to help me learn and understand how to diagnose a fault and fix it.

Thank you so much

If you are right that this bike has become seized, and if I'm right that this is probably the result of neglect, then IMO the first thing to learn is that prevention is better than cure. ie If you do get a new bike, then don't neglect it.

As has been posted, there are loads of excellent resources online, covering just about every aspect of bike maintenance. Nobody has linked to anything about resurrecting a rust-seized bike.

[cycle tramp]

My sister bought her older child a cheap used cycle. I want to learn how to fix my own bike. I plan to buy one soon.

In the meantime, fixing that child bike will allow me to learn.

The pedals/gear/chain/wheels/round thing that the pedals are attached.... I don't know what exactly, don't turn no matter how hard I try to push on the pedals to make the bike go forward. It's seized. I can provide photos if people are willing to help me learn and understand how to diagnose a fault and fix it.

Thank you so much

Nobody has linked to anything about resurrecting a rust-seized bike.

Nope and I don't intend to either. Just Google it, it's not like you've got to walk down to a library read alot of books about rust control, chemical reactions, and the fizzy pop drink coke